The home economics classroom was calling, and Kim Scodro answered. Growing up in Illinois, Scodro spent hours in fabric stores, bringing home treasures to sew Barbie clothes. She eventually got a teaching job at an all-girls Catholic high school, focusing on clothing construction, child development and interior design. “It was such a great experience, because not everybody is meant to go to a four-year university,” she tells host Dennis Scully on the latest episode of The Business of Home Podcast. “Maybe you’re not as successful in math, but you come to clothing construction, and you have all this success, and you’re so happy. How nice is that to have in the middle of your day in high school?”

Scodro left her teaching position to focus on raising her sons, then in 2007, when they were in high school, she decided to take the leap into interior design. She wasted no time joining the American Society of Interior Designers, connecting with showroom reps and other designers, as well as local real estate agents, which is how she ended up landing her first client. After that first job, she was able to grow her business—her work has been featured in national shelter magazines, and last fall she developed a furniture collection with Hickory Chair.

When hiring a new employee to join her team, kindness is at the top of Scodro’s list. “You either are a kind person or you’re not. You have to be kind to the vendors. You have to be kind to the clients. You have to be kind to your fellow co-workers,” she says. “We can teach you how we work, how we scheme, how we present. You’ve learned your skill set in school, but you cannot teach basic kindness.” And it’s all about the joint effort: “We’re in this all together. There are no egos here,” she adds. “This is a team sport. … I can't say enough about this team’s kindness. They are just there for each other.”

Elsewhere in the episode, Scodro discusses why she’s starting her own fabric line, why she’s glad her first client was her toughest and how she’s adapting to the rising costs of materials.

Crucial insight: Years ago at High Point Market, Scodro received advice from renowned New York designer Mariette Himes Gomez that has stuck with her to this day: Invest in good photography. “Photography is everything, and I am a big believer in a stylist as well, because I do not know how to style for a photo shoot. A stylist knows how to move a vase one quarter of a turn,” she says. “It is a big expense to do a two-day photo shoot with a stylist. It’s a lot of money—several, several, several thousands of dollars—but it’s worth it.”

Key quote: “Hiring an interior designer is a luxury. It’s like getting your nails painted. I can go get my nails done and they’re going to be fantastic. I’m going to have an enjoyable experience. I can also paint my own nails. They’re not going to last. It’s not going to look great. I’ll probably have to redo them. That’s how [hiring] an interior designer is.”

This episode is sponsored by Ernesta. Listen to the show below. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

The Thursday Show

BOH executive editor Fred Nicolaus and editor in chief Kaitlin Petersen discuss the biggest news in the design world, including the latest on tariffs, Williams-Sonoma’s surprise acquisition and a spotlight on Midwestern design.

This episode is sponsored by Loloi. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.